Vacuum apparatus.



S. E. GRIGGS. VACUUM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1907.

WITNESSES} INVENTOI? PATEN'IJED FEB. 11; 1908.

- follows:

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YACUUM APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ran. 1 1, 1908.,

Application filed February 27. 1907. Serial No. 359.668.

To all whom it may concern:

Best known that l, STEPHEN E. (linens, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county pf King and State ol Washington, have invented certain new and useful lm pro vements in Vacuum Apparatus, I

of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. p

i This invention relates to therapeutical ap paratus and particularly to appliances for giving, local treatment to affected partsol the human body b the'application to the surface thereof of a partial vacuum induced through the medium of vacuum cups. The )rinciple of this method of treatment'is wellnown and may be-briefly described as in cases of rheumatism, lumbago and other acute inflammatory conditions tion pumps and they much relief is rendered the patient by the lessening of the air-pressure from the diseased portion of the body and a'favorable condi-' tion for the restoration of the normal state of health is induced by the resultant hyperemia or congestion of blood-to that part through the application of vaeuumcups of suitable shapes to-conform to the various physician at a time when his observation sho'uldbeupon the patient. 7 I 7 With the apparatus embodying my in-: vention no te( ious pumping is required to place the same in operation, the pressure of the thumbof the operator controlling the amount of tension desired within the cups;

its compactness and size enabling it-to be placed in an convenient accomplish t e purposes intended; and it can be manufacture at small cost to permit of its use not only in public clinics and hospitals but'in the private ofii cc of the physician; the afpresaid and other ob ects in view, theinvlintion consists in the 'novel place suitable to construction and combination of parts as will be hereinafter described and claim-d.

The accompanying drawing is a pcmpcctive view of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 3 indicates a tubular vessel impervious to the air and ol'nbout twoor three feet in length and is desirabl made of glass in order to disclose the lunght ol; li( uid therein. Said vessel is secured, as by wal a vertical position. and at an clevath'm'sull attachments 4, in

'licient to supply-a pressure from the contained liqui necessary to accomplish the purpposes for which intended.

i 1e vessel 3 is provided with openings liquid and likewise with an opening 7 which is communicatively (:(mnected by a tube 8 with the cup appliance. Said discharge opening is positioned at the extreme bottom 0 the vessel so that the entire liquid contents may be withdrawn; while the opening 7 is continued upwardly'; into a bent tube 7 to make the entire len th of the vessel available to the reception 0? the water.

At the openings 5 and 6 are provided nipples 5 and 6, or their e uivalents, for ma mg connection with flexi le tubing 9 and 10,

res actively, with a water. supply faucet 11 an with a receptacle to receive the waste water from the apparatus. The faucet 11 serv'esto control the, admission of water to the vessel. and a valve 12 is provided in the tube 8 to regulate the flow of air therethr'ough in both the filling and emptying-of'the vessel ofwater. g i

-1 3 is a supplementary closure included in the tube 10 but may be omitted if desired.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The vessel 3 is first charged with water by! opening air valve 12 and the faucet 11 w ereupon the same are closed. The cup is p so that the cup] rim Wil be in complete contact with the flesh about the and 6 for the intake and discharge of the .no'w agplied'to thepart of the atient to be 'treate affected part and thus prevent any air extraneous of the cup entering-the latter. By

opening the valve or valves 12' and 13 the air within the cup is released and artially withdrawn through the escape of t e water, through the waste pie and is continued until all of the water from the vessel or enough to establish the as been discharged as many'more as desired.

re uired rarefacit ichlbf the air within the en at the point while in actual medical practice :bination with a cup, of a vessel having a bination with a cup, of a vessel, an inlet for the flo'w of water therefrom being controlled by the manipulation of the valve 12.

In practice a portion only of the water contained in the vessel is withdrawn for" each application of the cup. An extreme test would cause an intense congestion of blood Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is

1; In an exhaustingapparatus, comprising in combination with a on ofa closed vessel, a tube communicative y connecting said cup with the top of said vessel, a tube making communicative connection between the bottom of said vessel and a supply 0 P water under sufi'icient head to fill said vessel, a liquid discharge opening in the'bottoin of said vessel, and a valve, or its equivalent, for each of said tubes.

2. In an exhausting apparatus, the comwaterinlet tube at the bottom, a flexible tube'leading from the vessel adjacent of its top to the cup to be exhausted, an outlet for said vessel, and means to control the inflow and. discharge of the water-from the respective tube and outlet.

3'. In an exhausting apparatus, the com-- supplying water to drive the air out of the vessel prior to the exhausting operation, an outlet to said vessel, and means for contiollin the evacuation of water from the vessel:

'and,.whereby the air is exhausted from the 4f In an exhausting apparatus, in comb 1-' nation with a cupfa vessel disposed at an elevation sufficient to maintain a barometric column of a liquid employed which when withdrawn will produce a desired vacuum in the cup, an inlet to supply said liquid to the -vessel, a flexible tube connecting the Vessel adjacent of its top with the on from which the air is to be exhausted, an means open at all times to withdraw the liquid from the vessel whereby the exhaustion of the air from the cup is accomplished.

5. In an exhausting apparatus, a single vessel, means to dispose said vessel at a determined elevation, means for connecting said vessel with a source of fluid supply -i1n-' der pressure, means at thebotto'm of said vessel to enable the fluid to be withdrawn therefrom, a vacuumcup, and means con-- necting said cup with the top of said vessel.

6, In combination with a water supply faucet, and the bowl thereof a vessel secured at a point higher than said faucet, a tube connecting said faucet with the lower end of said vessel, an exhaust tube open' at all times leading from the lower end of said vessel to I said bowl, and a third tube leading'from the f top of said vessel and-having a vacuumcup connected thereto.

7. In an exhausting apparatus, a vessel of cylindrical form for containing liquid, means for securing said vessel to asupport so that the same may be secured-at a determined elevation, a pair of flexible tubes leading -from separate points at the bottom of said vessel, and a third tube leading from the top of said vessel and having a cup connected thereto. r, .Y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: 1

PIERRE BARNES, E. H, ,ALvoRD.

STEPHEN E.GRIGGS. 1 

